Buying springs - a few questions

[ScottyG00GT]

OK I am narrowing this down for my next mod (ignore my signature - gotta update that). Got a lot of good information from my last two threads. Thanks in advance for your help . . .

I am seriously thinking about doing springs. I have a few questions:

1) Is it advisable to do shocks/struts at the same time, or can I let them go for now (I can save $$ and get better ones later)

2) How much would you pay for an installation?

3) My intention with this car is to keep it a nice daily driver. I don't want to lower it too much so that I need all kinds of other things done right now to keep proper suspension geometry (e.g. offset rack bushings, caster/camber plates). I of course also want better handling. How far can I lower it, and does anyone in my situation have specific recommendations for which springs to get?

Thanks again

 

[tangerine]

you could lower it an inch all the way around and it would be fine but lower than than you will start having problems. for the installation me personally I wouldn't pay anyone over 50 bucks because it is very simple to install a set of springs.

 

[jegg]

OK I am narrowing this down for my next mod (ignore my signature - gotta update that). Got a lot of good information from my last two threads. Thanks in advance for your help . . .

I am seriously thinking about doing springs. I have a few questions:

1) Is it advisable to do shocks/struts at the same time, or can I let them go for now (I can save $$ and get better ones later)

2) How much would you pay for an installation?

3) My intention with this car is to keep it a nice daily driver. I don't want to lower it too much so that I need all kinds of other things done right now to keep proper suspension geometry (e.g. offset rack bushings, caster/camber plates). I of course also want better handling. How far can I lower it, and does anyone in my situation have specific recommendations for which springs to get?

Thanks again

springs are cake to install...have a buddy help you with it, you'll get done faster. i changed mine and still have the stock shocks and struts in for about 7k miles and everything is fine. i didnt lower mine too low for the same reasons you have. i commute in my stang 100 miles a day to work and chose steeda sport springs because of the fact that it does not lower to much. the ride is still smooth, feels very close to stock. i even had my alignment check and they said everything is straight.

 

[Rocketman]

I went with Eibach's pro kit progressive rate springs and really like the drop and ride quality. The drop was advertised as 1.5 inches but, was actually just over an inch. I did change my shocks and struts because I didn't want to do the work twice. I did get C/C plates and an alignment because I just dropped 2 G's on tires and wheels and wanted to make sure they last a long time.
http://www.culturalunity.com/P3314.jpg

 

[blk2003GT]

Good thread. I have a question, I want to lower about 1.5", thinking about H&R ss. Have any of you guys noticed an increase in 60 foot times at the track with springs? I don't go to the track very often, but I don't want to go slower!

 

[BLKVERT]

Good thread. I have a question, I want to lower about 1.5", thinking about H&R ss. Have any of you guys noticed an increase in 60 foot times at the track with springs? I don't go to the track very often, but I don't want to go slower!

Well to be honest, I don't take mine to the track..but..H&R SS's will give you the drop that you want.

 

[jegg]

Good thread. I have a question, I want to lower about 1.5", thinking about H&R ss. Have any of you guys noticed an increase in 60 foot times at the track with springs? I don't go to the track very often, but I don't want to go slower!

i dont go to the track either but from what i hear it is good to have weight transfer on launches.

 

[JoeySperz]

Good thread. I have a question, I want to lower about 1.5", thinking about H&R ss. Have any of you guys noticed an increase in 60 foot times at the track with springs? I don't go to the track very often, but I don't want to go slower!

With the H&R SS it is highly advised that you change your shocks and struts because the stock ones were not designed to compress that much.

OK I am narrowing this down for my next mod (ignore my signature - gotta update that). Got a lot of good information from my last two threads. Thanks in advance for your help . . .

I am seriously thinking about doing springs. I have a few questions:

1) Is it advisable to do shocks/struts at the same time, or can I let them go for now (I can save $$ and get better ones later)

2) How much would you pay for an installation?

3) My intention with this car is to keep it a nice daily driver. I don't want to lower it too much so that I need all kinds of other things done right now to keep proper suspension geometry (e.g. offset rack bushings, caster/camber plates). I of course also want better handling. How far can I lower it, and does anyone in my situation have specific recommendations for which springs to get?

Thanks again

Scott,

If you have the money, I would strongly suggest going with new shocks and struts. I put the pro kit in my car and I am kicking myself for not doing shocks and struts...I wish i didnt blow all my money. Anyway. It really isnt that hard to install, but you do need to know what you are doing. It can be a pain in the @$$. I would suggest the pro kit. I have it and I think it is not too drastic of a drop, but it is definitely noticeable. I got them from K-Modified Racing (www.kmodifiedracing.com). By far the cheapest place I have seen them for. If you can find a better price, they will beat it, so might as well check them out. Good luck and I cant wait to see some pics.

 

[JonJon]

I am going to do Ford C Springs or Eibach Pro Kit. I'm going to put in Mach 1 shock/struts too since I have 54k on the stock ones.

We just did a spring install on my roomate's Stang last nite. Installing new struts and shocks LITERALLY would take 10 minutes extra. It's a piece of cake so there's no reason to not (well, $). I've read in a few places that lowering your car will cause your stock shock/struts to wear out a lot faster so you may as well replace them at the same time.

I estimate spring/strut/shock install to take 2.5 hours this summer when we do my car. Took us 4 hours for all 4 on my roomates last nite since we had some trouble with the front spring. We weren't sure how low the A-arm and tie rod could go... We didn't want to break anything. The other front spring took 30 minutes from jacking up to jacking down. Plus, it was night time

 

[rustang04]

i put hotchkis tuning springs in mine and it looks awesome. 2" drop front 1.5" rear.

 

[ScottyG00GT]

This is lots of good information.

It sounds like I might want to consider shocks/struts at the same time. I see two kits on sale - on one of my other threads I was alerted to a complete Bullitt suspension kit at stangstore.com and I have also seen MRT's kit that's supposedly "better than the Bullitt" but does not have sway bars, for about 100 bucks more.

Anyone have any recommendations on these?

 

[4havnfun]

See my post in http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=462872

for an update on availability of the Bullitt Suspension from FRPP.

 

[1low03gt]

If you stay with the inch and half drop you will be okey!!
I put the eibach sportline and drove around for one summer and the front struts were bottoming out and were digging into the bushing .Plus the aligniment went way out by the end of the summer compared to the first alignment i had done,wich i had done a week and a half after the intial install, which WAS in spec! So this year i installed the Maximum Motorsports C&C plates and solved all my problems(the alignment,and front strut travel ),and still have the factory struts and shocks,and she rides find!
So you should be alright with inch and a half,the worst thing you might need would be C&C plates.
Here is a pic of the side view of my stang with the sporlines from eibach!